Philadelphia Voter Receives $10K Just For Casting A Ballot
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- One lucky Philadelphian got a windfall Tuesday night just for casting a ballot. It was part of an effort to boost low voter participation in the city.
Larry Platt is co-founder of The Philadelphia Citizen. But tonight, he resembled Ed McMahon when he showed up at the Myers Rec Center at 4th and Shunk with a huge check.
"You are our $10,000 winner!" said Platt.
Bridget Conroy-Varnis, a Philadelphia school crossing guard, was the lucky voter.
"I'm so overwhelmed," she says, "I can't believe it."
She'd heard about the contest. All she had to do to win was cast her ballot at the randomly select polling place at the randomly selected time of 6:36 p.m.
"I would never think down here -- never," says Conroy-Varnis, who has voted in South Philadelphia most of her life. She says she'll use the money, which will be just over $6,000 after taxes, to pay bills, buy a used car and help a few charities. The money comes thanks to a grant from the Pamela and Ajay Raju Foundation. Her advice:
"Do your civic duty," she says, "go vote."
Platt says they hope this win will encourage others to do their civic duty.
"We want to continue to do things to up the level of civic participation," he says, "that's what the city needs."
Platt says non-partisan voter lotteries are only legal in state elections, so for the presidential election they'll come up with another "creative" plan.
"Maybe we'll do a "vote and you get to have lunch with a celebrity," he says.
As for the other voters at 4th and Shunk -- they wish they were as lucky.
"It's awesome," says one voter, "it's sad you have to pay people to vote -- but I'm sad I missed it."
Maybe next Election Day.
